THE HISTORY / ABOUT KAY BOJESEN This original drawing demonstrates the lighthearted lines and rounded shapes that Kay Bojesen always used for his figures. Kay Bojesen’s characteristic, authentic lines. Today, Kay Bojesen is considered one of Denmark’s biggest designer names and his work is among the most sought-after in Danish design Silversmith and designer Kay Bojesen had a very special talent. He could bring wood to life and he became worldfamous for creating wooden animals with soul, a sense of humour and a twinkle in their eyes. One of the most prolific Danish craftsmen of the 20th century, Kay Bojesen has more than 2000 pieces to his name. He is best known for his playful and cheerful monkeys, royal guardsmen and other wooden toys, but his wideranging production also includes jewelry, cutlery, teapots and silver cups. Kay Bojesen graduated as a silversmith in 1910 after completing his apprenticeship with Georg Jensen. He was among the first Danish artisans to enthusiastically embrace functionalism and he co-founded ‘Den Permanente’ – a retail store and exhibition space that, for decades, featured the best in Danish and Scandinavian design. 1919 marked the start of a new era for Kay Bojesen, as he became married and his son Otto was born. This sparked Kay Bojesen’s fascination with children, toys and wood – and brought back memories of his own childhood, when his father (Ernst Bojesen, publisher of the Danish satirical annual Blæksprutten (The Octopus)) carved wooden figures for him and encouraged his children to be inventive, imaginative and high-spirited. 10
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